How might you describe the current state of immigration into America? Perhaps, if trying to not get banned on social media or use a four-lettered word, you would say it is “stupid.” If so, you’d be in agreement with former Republican Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, who appeared on ABC’s “The View” and demanded that the border be strongly defended.
His comments on the matter came when Schwarzenegger, a member of the Republican Party despite being an outspoken critic of former President Donald Trump, was asked about the current immigration system and the state of things at the border by View co-host Ana Navarro.
She asked, “You are one of the country’s most famous immigrants and a former two-term Republican governor of California back when Republicans were sane. What do you think about the current immigration crisis? Because you have such a unique perspective, and what’s going on at the border. What do you think of President Biden starting to build these 20 miles of wall? What’s your perspective?”
Though a proponent of legal immigration, the actor and former governor tore into the open border and illegal immigration it permits, saying that America needs to make the southern border so strongly defended that it is one “no one can get through.”
“I’ve seen first hand how this is not a one kind of a step approach. You have to really have comprehensive immigration reform, and you have to look at this immigration problem in a comprehensive way. You can, first of all, I believe very strongly in having a border that no one can get through. That’s number one for me. Number two, what is important is that we have visas available for people that want to work in the United States, so they don’t have to work illegally. It is bogus, we need the workers here,” he said.
Continuing, he argued that the situation as it currently stands is “stupid” because it encourages people to do the illegal, easier thing and cross the porous southern border rather than enter legally, which would mean they pay taxes and can be screened before entering.
He said, “It’s a stupid system. The system is set up to commit a crime. The system is set up to do something illegally. Why? Why can we not come together, Democrats and Republicans and instead of using this issue always as a fundraising issue for the party to go and sit down together and really to do the service that they’re supposed to do?”
Continuing, he emphasized yet again the critical need for a strongly defended, completely secure southern border, telling “The View.” “We have to have a secure border, but we’ve got to go and reform our system. That’s where the action is, I think.”
Watch him here:
The co-hosts of “The View” bashed Biden on Friday for its messaging on the border situation, namely the decision to restart border wall construction. Co-host Sara Haines, for example, said, “How I would have come out and handled it — One, I’d put Biden on the mic right away — he’s a real talk guy. Put him on the mic and say, ‘We’re not going to take questions on this, but I got to be straight with you. This is not my wall. This is Congress’ wall. It was appropriated in 2019, I’d be literally committing a crime by disobeying this — and we have a lot of that already happening — so we’re gonna go ahead and follow the law.’ It didn’t come out strong, and I thought the messaging looked weak, and it was confusing.“
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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